The Story
by Henriette76
Summary: A Charlie and Joey story about love and hate. Will love win in the end?
1. Chapter 1

**The Story**

**A/N **

**Hi I just got some inspiration for a new story the other day that I had to write... So here goes... Please review to let me know if I should continue writing on the story.**

**Would like to thank Bimboinhales for her suport... thanks girl :)**

**Enjoy and don't forget to review.**

_Chapter 1_

Charlie once again sighed as she dumped her keys on the desk and sat down in her chair. She ran her fingers through her hair and massaged her temples. She wondered if things would ever be easy again. She wished she could turn back time and undo that dreadful night when she had slept with Hugo. That night had forever changed her life and not once had she felt happy since.

Joey had left her and she couldn't really blame her. She would have done the same if it was the other way around. Joey had told her that she would return after three months but she didn't. Charlie had waited and waited but hadn't heard a single word from Joey. She had even searched the police database to see if she could find Joey, but with no luck.

She had felt so lonely and desperate to find Joey and make things right with her again. She had realised that she loved Joey. She was the one for her. She had also come to the realisation that she was gay, that she found girls attractive, but that wasn't until later. At first she thought it was only Joey she was attracted to. Joey was all she dreamt of and wanted.

Six months after Joey was supposed to return, Charlie walked into the Diner with Watson to pick up coffee for the guys back at the station. She was shocked to see a familiar figure standing at the counter talking to Leah. There in front of her stood Joey, her Joey, the love of her life.

What happened next, Charlie remembers very well. It tore at her heartstrings just thinking about it. She had called out Joey's name and happily started to walk towards her, her heart beating fast at the sight of seeing Joey and the hope that she could be with her again. She was stopped dead in her tracks when Joey turned around and looked directly at her with hard, cold eyes.

"Charlie" Joey said coldly, turning back to pick up her coffee and pay Leah for it before turning around to walk out of the Diner, passing Charlie on the way, without even glancing at her.

Charlie was stunned by the way Joey had said her name and reacted to seeing her again. She couldn't recognise Joey; she was so cold and emotionless. She snapped out of her shock when she heard the door of the Diner close behind her. She turned around and ran out of the door to find Joey.

"Joey..... Joey, please wait up, please don't be like this, please talk to me" Charlie called out for Joey running after her down the beach.

Joey stopped walking, turned around and stared frostily at Charlie. "Don't be like this, are you kidding me Charlie? I have every right to be like this and no I won't talk to you, I never want to talk to you again... ever" she coldly spoke before turning around and walking away leaving a stunned Charlie helplessly watching her go.

Charlie shook her head to get rid of the memories of that awful day. She had tried to talk to Joey several times after that but Joey had either ignored her or yelled at her - telling her to leave her alone, that she never wanted anything to do with Charlie, she hated her and would never forgive her for what she'd done.

A single tear rolled down Charlie's cheek, she had a very hard time forgiving herself for putting Joey through so much. She quickly dried away the tear with her hand.

But time had passed and both Charlie and Joey were living their separate lives in the little town. She had stopped trying to reach out to Joey and settled with just admiring her from afar. It seemed like Joey had moved on. Every time she saw her she looked happy, always smiling and laughing. She had gotten that lovely sparkle back in her brown beautiful eyes that Charlie loved so much.

Charlie sighed, turning her attentions back to the present and switching her computer on whilst taking a sip of her coffee. She frowned and sighed again, cursing how slow her old work computer was. She sat back in her chair with her cup of coffee in her hand, staring at the screen waiting for the desktop to show and started to think about Joey and her life again.

She knew that she had lost Joey forever. Joey would, however, always hold a special place in her heart, but she had to let Joey go and move on. She had already started after her daughter had encouraged her to move on and find some happiness. She wondered how Ruby had gotten so wise and thought it was funny that it was often Ruby giving her advice about love and dating and not the other way around like it was suppose to be.

After many long talks with Ruby and her friend Leah, she had come to the realisation that she was gay, that girls just were more her thing. Ruby had convinced her to get back out there, so she had started chatting and mailing a few people online. She had even met with a girl for coffee once. No one, however, really seemed to give her that tingling feeling that Joey did.

The computer eventually came to life, and Charlie went online to quickly check her mails. She looked at her watch and realised she was still on her break. Taking a sip of her now rather tepid coffee, she opened what had now become her favourite website; Lesbian love fiction (LLF). She logged on and quickly scanned the site for new story updates and saw a new story called 'An Ocean Apart' by a new author 'Blue Marlin' had been posted. She clicked on the link and started to read.

Charlie sat in tears when she had finished the first chapter of the story. She was so moved by the story. It had hit really close to home and in many ways it reminded her of her own life. She quickly dried her eyes so she wouldn't be seen crying at work. Her colleagues would lose all respect for her, she thought to herself.

Still looking at the computer screen, she took the coffee cup in her hand, leaned back in her chair and sat thinking about what she had read. Drinking the last of the coffee in the cup in one big gulp and swiftly sitting upright, she did something she hadn't done before. She hit the review button and started to write.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**

**I must say that I'm really happy about all the reviews I've gotten for this story so far, they made me want to continue writing on the story... Thank you all so very much... they do put a smile on my little face. **

**So I've wrote chapter 2 the other day, but Uni is keeping me busy so haven't had the time to post until today :(**

** Im not really sure about the story and were I'm gonna take it yet... Please review to let me know what u think of the story so far and if i should continue**

**Enjoy and don't forget to review.**

_Chapter 2_

Joey hesitantly walked into the Diner. She quickly scanned the heaving restaurant to check who was there. She noticed Leah behind the counter and walked over to order a cup of coffee. After a bit of small talk with Leah, she sat down in a booth to drink her coffee, waiting for one of the Diner's computers to be free.

As she sat there, she noticed a couple walking in, looking very much in love. She couldn't help but smile, but at the same time she felt a bit sad. She wondered if she would ever find that special someone and feel like that again.

She thought back to the happiest time of her life, when she was with Charlie. Their relationship had been short but so intense, emotional and loving. She had never been so much in love. It was, however, cut short by Charlie's lies and deceit. She'd been utterly devastated when she'd found out what Charlie had done. She couldn't believe it when she'd seen Charlie's earring at Hugo's and tricked him into confessing about him and Charlie sleeping together.

The pain had been too much so she had left Charlie and Summer Bay. Charlie had come to the wharf to convince her to stay, but she couldn't, because every time she looked at Charlie, images of her in Hugo's arms and him kissing and touching her flashed by. She had kissed her one last time and told her she would be back after three months. Then she had left on the trawler.

After three months, however, she still couldn't go back. The thought of living in Summer Bay and running into Charlie, who she assumed would probably be with Hugo now, would simply be too painful. It would hurt too much to see the love of her life with another. So she had decided to take another long haul job.

Time had passed and her broken heart had mended. She had felt ready to return to Summer Bay. She couldn't stay away from her home and friends forever.

She just hadn't been prepared for the way she reacted when she had seen Charlie for the first time in nine months. She thought she was ready to see

her again, she knew she was bound to bump into her at some point because Summer Bay was such a small town.

She remembers very well the day she saw Charlie again. She had been in the Diner buying a cup of coffee, talking to Leah, getting filled in about what had happened in Summer Bay while she had been away, when she suddenly heard a very familiar voice calling out her name behind her. She had felt her heart jump in her chest and start to beat faster, but at the same time she felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach as all the pain came flooding back. She lost all her control in that moment of hearing Charlie call her name. Her heart had shattered again. Without thinking, she fled the Diner, using all her will power not to let Charlie see how she felt. All that time away putting the pieces of her broken heart painstakingly back together had failed. Just one simple word uttered from Charlie had taken her straight back to the moment when she had found out that Charlie had betrayed her.

She walked down to the beach, feeling confused and angry that Charlie still had this effect on her. Why couldn't she just move on? As she walked, she heard Charlie's voice again, calling out for her, telling her not to be like this. It just made her so mad and frustrated that Charlie would dare to tell her how she should feel and react. She wasn't the one who cheated. Charlie didn't get to have a say in how she should be anymore. Frustrated, she had turned around and told Charlie in no uncertain terms that she never wanted to talk to her again, then walked away.

She had found a quiet place at the beach to sit down alone, where she had broken down and cried. She had sat there for awhile crying, just looking out to sea, when she felt a strong arm around her. Looking up and through her tears she saw Aden, smiling and pulling her in for a hug. Aden had held her close and stroked her back, letting her cry until she was ready to talk.

It had been the hardest thing for her to do, it was worse than that day she left nine months ago. When she had returned to Summer Bay, she had promised herself never to be hurt the way Charlie had hurt her again. Even though she obviously still had feelings for Charlie she couldn't be near her again, it would hurt too much. She didn't trust Charlie anymore.

Charlie had tried several times to talk to her, but she had either ignored her or yelled at her. It was the only way she knew she could protect herself. It was too hard being around Charlie. It seemed like Charlie had accepted it and started to move on, but every time she saw her she couldn't help but admire her from afar and she felt her heart beating faster. She couldn't deny that Charlie was extremely attractive. She had an amazing body, but what she found most beautiful were her gorgeous blue eyes.

She sighed, took a sip of her coffee and wondered why Charlie still had this effect on her and if she would ever be ready to see other people. She had been out on a couple of dates, but no-one seemed to be able to rock her world like Charlie had. She had quickly lost interest in the girls and told them that she couldn't see them anymore, that she wasn't ready to date again.

She was glad she had her friends; they kept her sane and happy. Especially Aden, he always knew exactly what to say and do to cheer her up. Smiling, she thought about Aden's latest attempt to cheer her up the night before. He had noticed how sad she had become when she had seen Charlie walk into The Surf Club, and had let her win at pool by deliberately missing shots he normally would have made and pretending that there was something wrong with his cue. She couldn't help but smile and laugh when she was around Aden. He truly had become her best friend; he was like a brother to her, they were always protecting and helping each other.

She looked up and saw that one of the Diner's computers was now free, she finished her coffee, walked over and sat down. She logged on and instantly got the message "You've Got Mail".


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**

**Thank you so much for all your wonderfull reviews and ideas for this story. They really do mean a lot to me, seen as I'm not sure yet were to take the story.**

**Once again I would like to thank Bimboinhales and Miss Btw for all their support and incouragement :)**

**Hope you'll all like this next chapter and dont forget to review :)**

**Enjoy!**

_Chapter 3_

With a certain amount of apprehension, Joey opened her mailbox not really knowing what to expect. To her amazement, she saw that ten people had taken the time to review the first chapter of her story. She hadn't expected anyone to read it, let alone post a review. She spent the next few minutes smiling at her computer screen, it made her so happy, and somewhat relieved, to read that people seemed to like her story so much.

She'd found the site by accident but had very quickly become addicted to reading all the wonderful stories. It was probably the luckiest accident she'd had in a long time. After reading a number of stories, she felt inspired to start writing her own. Her English teacher had always told her that the best stories are written from the heart, so she had decided to write about something very close to hers – Charlie. And it felt good to do it. It was like therapy without the hefty price tag! She had altered the names of the main characters in her story and changed the locations, but it was essentially the same. Her first chapter had ended with Charlie's character running away from her after a picnic.

She sat for a while getting lost in the memories of the day she had realised she was in love with Charlie. They had spent the afternoon together on Alf's boat, the Blaxland. It had started as a day of such happiness. They had talked about so many things, but the memory etched so clearly in Joey's mind was of the comfort she had felt in just listening to the sound of Charlie's voice. Everything Charlie said was just for her and her alone. And then they had danced. At first, they had just been jumping around, dancing and giggling together, to Joey's favourite song, but then it had all changed. A slow song started and, after a moment's hesitation, they began to dance slowly to it. When Charlie had nervously reached her hands out, Joey's heart had started to race as her own hands made contact with Charlie's. They had entwined their fingers and when Charlie's thumbs started stroking the backs of Joey's hands, Joey felt hopelessly drawn to Charlie and was sure she felt the same. Just as Joey was about to close the small gab between them and kiss Charlie, Charlie had panicked and fled from her, leaving her hurt, confused and alone on the Blaxland. She shook her head to rid it from her memories, it was still too painful to think about all the times Charlie had pulled her closer just to push her away again and then finally breaking her heart. She was beginning to think that her heart would never truly mend.

She sighed and pulled out a couple of sheets of paper from her pocket. Unfolding it and laying it next to the keyboard, she opened Word and started typing the next chapter from the scribbled notes she'd been writing at home. It was still so hard for her to think about her time with Charlie, it made her both sad and angry at the same time. She hated that Charlie still had this strong effect on her. When she'd lost Charlie, it had felt like she'd lost a part of herself, she had this empty feeling inside that she couldn't figure out how to fill again. She had, however, found out that writing about it helped a little.

After she had finished typing the next chapter, and proof read it a couple of times, she saved it onto her USB dongle and logged on to her LLF account to post it. She quickly wrote an A/N to thank all the people for reviewing her story, telling them how much it meant to her. After she had uploaded chapter two of her story, she returned to all her reviews to read them again. It really did make her happy to see that so many liked her story and writing, especially since it was the first time she had ever tried to write a story.

She found herself smiling again and laughing at some of the reviewers' comments, especially the suggestions as to what they wanted to happen next in the story. Some were mad that Charlie's character had run away instead of staying for the kiss. But one review in particular had caught her attention. It was from someone calling themselves "Les Flic". Something about it compelled her to keep returning to it and reading it over and over again.

'_Hi Blue Marlin_

_This is such a lovely story you are writing. I can't wait to see where you take it._

_This chapter really hit close to home. I was so moved by it. You really do write in such a captivating way, it feels like I'm there when I read your story. It brought back memories of the first time I began to realise that I was falling in love with another woman. I got so scared of my feelings and the realisation that I might be gay, so I ran away from the one person that I ever truly loved and broke both our hearts._

_I eagerly await your next update to see what happens. But please don't let me wait too long :)'_

She sat for awhile, reading the review one more time, before deciding to write a reply to Les Flic.

Joey turned the computer off and decided to grab another cup of coffee to go. As she stood by the counter waiting for her coffee, she noticed Charlie walking into the Diner. She couldn't help notice her slender and toned body. She wore a pair of tight blue denim shorts that accentuated her long tanned legs and a simple grey vest top that showed her perfect figure and toned arms. Joey felt her heart rate increase and her palms sweat at the sight of Charlie. She looked absolutely amazing; she always did no matter what she wore.

Their eyes met and for a moment they the stood looking at each other. They were brought out of the stare by Colleen "here you go young Joey... one coffee to go"

Joey turned to Colleen, paid for the coffee, thanking her, before hurrying out the Diner. She had no choice but to pass Charlie on the way, but kept looking down at the floor so she wouldn't have to meet Charlie's beautiful eyes. She knew she couldn't resist those eyes. She heard Charlie call out her name as she walked out of the Diner door, but she didn't allow herself to turn around, she just kept walking.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N **

**Thank you so so much for all your wonderful reviews. They do really make me smile and encourage me to keep writing. I love to read all off you ideas to what could happen to Charlie and Joey.**

**I'm still, however, really surprised how much this story is liked, it was just a little idea that came to me one day :)**

**I also want to say that I haven't forgotten about Love Bites. I'm working hard on it and hope to have a new chapter up soon. But be patience you all know that the best things comes to those who wait :)**

**Don't forget to review so I Know if I should continue writing on the story :)**

**Enjoy**

_Chapter 4_

Charlie had the day off, so she decided to take a stroll along the beach. Enjoying the beautiful sunny weather, the light breeze and the sound of the waves gently hitting the shore, she slowly walked towards the Diner to get a cup of coffee and use one of the computers to see if she had gotten any mails.

She walked through the door of the busy Diner, and even though the Diner was humming with people talking and eating, the only person she saw was Joey standing at the counter. Their eyes immediately locked and for a minute they both just stood looking at each other, everything else in the Diner fading away. She felt the urge to walk towards those big beautiful brown pools. Joey was so beautiful with her long dark hair flowing down. She couldn't help but quickly look Joey up and down admiring the body she could once touch. After all the hard work on the fishing trawlers, it had visibly become more toned and, if it was possible, beautiful. The one thing, however, Charlie found most attractive about Joey was her face with her large, round, beautiful brown eyes complemented by long lashes and perfectly arched dark brown eyebrows. She also just loved how Joey smiled and those cute dimples, which sadly she didn't see much anymore. They were brought out of their little bubble by Colleen bringing Joey her coffee. It seemed as though Joey took this distraction as her opportunity to escape and she walked passed her deliberating not looking at her and left the Diner. For the first time in a long time things between them had seemed different, Joey hadn't given her that cold look full of hatred, so she took a chance and called out to her, but Joey hadn't reacted, she just kept walking.

Deflated and sad she turned around and walked towards the counter to order her coffee and see if one of the computers were free. "Hi Colleen, how is everything going? Can I have a cup of coffee and I also wanted to know if one of your computers are free?"

Colleen looked up at Charlie "Sure thing Senior Constable. You can use the computer that young Joey was just using" she said pointing toward the computer before turning around to pour Charlie a cup of coffee.

Charlie walked over to the computer and put her coffee down. She sat for a while just looking at the computer letting her fingers run over the keyboard, thinking that just minutes ago Joey's gentle and soft fingers had touched it. She missed Joey so much and wondered if she would ever be able to talk to her again and tell her how sorry she was for the mistakes she'd made that had broken both their hearts.

She turned on the computer and logged on to her mail, and instantly got the message "You've Got Mail". She quickly opened her inbox and saw she had received some story alerts about new chapters being posted. She noticed a new chapter of her new favourite story. She clicked on the link immediately so she could read it as soon as she had finished reading her mails. To her surprise, she saw she had also gotten a mail from Blue Marlin. She quickly opened it and started to read.

'_Hi Les Flic_

_It was a very lovely review you sent me. It means so much to me that you like what I've written. I write from my heart and hope that people will like it and be touched by it and for you to write and say that it captivates you, means so much to me. It just tells me that what I'm writing means something to people and it is reviews like yours that make me want to continue writing my story. Hope that everything turned out in the end for you and this girl you fell in love with._

_I have just posted the next chapter, hope you'll like it as well. Looking forward to hear what you think._

_XX_

_Blue Marlin'_

With a smile Charlie read the mail again, she got this funny feeling inside her as she read it but she wasn't quite sure why. Smiling she hit the reply button and began to type.

'_Hi Blue Marlin_

_What a surprise to get a mail from you. I hadn't expected that. _

_Unfortunately it didn't turn out in the end for me and the girl. I ended up breaking both our hearts because of my own insecurities about having feelings for a girl and coming to terms with it._

_I haven't read your chapter yet, but I'm sure it will be great. You do write really well and I'm so touched by your writing. So when you write are you writing about your own experiences or is it just fiction?_

_I'm off to read the next chapter of your amazing story._

_XX_

_Les Flic'_

Charlie sent the mail, closed her mailbox and returned to the page she had opened earlier to read chapter 2 of 'An Ocean Apart'. She took a sip of her coffee and grimaced when she realised it had gotten cold. She sat the coffee back down and decided that she would get a fresh cup once she had finished reading the chapter.

Once again she felt so moved by what she read. The way Blue Marlin had described the feelings and the hurt was so real and yet again the story really hit close to home. It could just as easily have been a screenplay of her life. A small tear rolled down her cheek as she wrote her review for the chapter. She dried away the tear with the backside of her hand, closed the computer and then went to get herself that fresh cup of coffee.

Charlie stood at the counter waiting for Colleen to come out from the kitchen to serve her, when she felt a familiar arm sneak around her back and a head resting on her shoulders. She looked over and saw into her beautiful daughter's eyes and smiled "Hi Rubes, what are you doing here?"

"Oh well we have a free period and decided to go hang out here and I saw my beautiful and loving mum and though that she might wanted to buy me lunch" Ruby replied giving Charlie the very famous Buckton pout that she knew Charlie couldn't resist.

Charlie giggled and leant over to ruffle Ruby's hair "Okay so what does my favourite daughter want to eat?"

"Oiiii I'm your only daughter" Ruby laughed giving her mum a pad on the shoulder.

"Hence the favourite" Charlie laughed back.

"So what do you want to eat" Charlie asked pulling Ruby in for a hug. She was so happy that they could be like this with each other again. But the road to get here had been long and tough. Ruby hadn't taken it well in the beginning when she had revealed her big secret to her. But eventually she had come around and they had talked through it and now their relationship was stronger than ever.

"Hmmm I could go for some of Leah's famous lasagne and a diet coke please" Ruby replied and smiled.

Charlie smiled back at Ruby and turned towards the counter to order a lasagne and a chicken salad with two diet cokes.

As they sat eating their lunch together Charlie tried to listen to Ruby going on about Xavier, but she couldn't really concentrate, her mind kept drifting off with thoughts of Joey. She reran their earlier meeting in her mind and why it seemed different, like they had somehow connected again, if only for a brief moment. Joey hadn't looked away, hadn't looked at her with disgust and this gave her hope – perhaps one day Joey would let her back into her life and, dare she think it, maybe even her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**

**Hi just wanted to post another chapter before im getting super busy with uni and exams.**

**Lomac3: So happy that you think the story is realistic, hope I didnt keept you hanging to long:)**

**funkyshaz57: wow have i almost managed to turn an anti Charlie to a Charlie fan?? Thanks for reviewing:)**

**Magdal19: Thank you so much, glad you find it realistic. Hope you'll like the next chapter:)**

**jsco81: Well even if it is slowly progressing, I hope you'll keep reading it.**

**Travis Teaslin: Well I'll see about longer chapters. Im super busy atm, so no promises... I still need to figure out where to take the story, but I'll try to drag it out as requested by you :)**

**Ellen: Patience :) All good things comes to those who wait :)**

**1818: This is for you, for asking so nicely when I was gonna upload again.. hope you'll enjoy it :)**

**Hope you'll all like the next chapter and dont forget to write a little review to let me know what you think.**

**Enjoy!**

_Chapter 5_

Ruby noticed that Charlie wasn't paying attention to what she was telling her. Charlie just sat staring out the window, her chicken salad long forgotten. She was in a world of her own.

Ruby sighed she knew very well what Charlie was thinking about when she had that look. "Hellooo earth to Charlie" she said waving her hand up in front of Charlie's eyes to get her attention.

"Ughh, ehmm, what?" Charlie suddenly jolted back to reality, picked up her fork and began picking at her lunch, pretending she hadn't been daydreaming.

"Where were you Charlie? You were miles away" Ruby laughed putting the last piece of lasagne in her mouth.

"What do you mean? I've been here listening to you" Charlie innocently tried to hide that she hadn't heard a word of what her daughter had been telling her.

"Oh year so what was the last thing I just told you?" Ruby quickly asked, smirking, knowing full well that her mum couldn't answer.

"Ehhmm you were telling me about Xavier" Charlie said knowing that she couldn't answer Ruby and that she had been well and truly caught.

Ruby put her hand on top of Charlie's giving it a gentle squeeze "So mum are you gonna tell me what or who your where thinking about? You're normally only this distant when it's about Joey"

Charlie sighed and chewed on her lower lip looking straight at her daughter, she couldn't hide her emotions from her. Ruby always knew what was going on with her. She took a big sip of her coke, gazed out the window at the beach, sighed again and looked back at her daughter, trying to fight back the tears.

Ruby noticed the deep sadness in Charlie's eyes as tears started to well up. She squeezed her hand again. "Oh Mum, what's wrong?"

Charlie took a deep breath, trying to take control of her emotions, but one lone tear managed to escape and start to run down her cheek before she quickly wiped it away. She wouldn't be seen sitting crying at the Diner. "I saw Joey again Rubes, but this time it was different, she didn't run right away or yell at me. It was like there was some kind of connection again."

"That's great Mum, what did she say?" Ruby smiled, feeling happy and relieved that perhaps her mum and Joey could start talking again. Things had been so awkward since Joey had returned. She loved both of them, and it was obvious that they still had feelings towards each other. But she could understand Joey's reasons not wanting Charlie in her life again. What Charlie did was stupid, hurtful and almost unforgivable, however, she also saw how much it had been hurting Charlie and how hard she had punished herself for doing it. She just wished that they could start talking through things again and perhaps see if they could be friends at least.

"Ehmm Rubes, we didn't exactly talk" Charlie said looking down at the table on the rest of her food. She had lost her appetite, and pushed the plate away, she didn't feel like even looking at food now.

"Oh Mum... what happened?" Ruby sighed.

"Well we kind of just looked at each other. I know it sounds lame, but Rubes I'm telling you, it felt different this time" Charlie almost whispered trying again not to cry.

Ruby looked at her mum still holding her hand "Mum you know I love you and there is nothing I want more than for you and Joey to start talking again. But it has been so long and you have to start moving on. It's not good for you to keep pining after Joey."

Charlie just nodded and stared out the window. She knew Ruby was right, but it was so hard to move on, when every part of her being told her that Joey was the only one for her.

Ruby saw the sadness in her mother's eyes and it broke her heart to see her like this. She decided to change the subject before she had to head back to school. "So Mum, what else have you been doing today?"

Charlie looked back at Ruby giving her a little smile thankful that she changed subject. "Oh not much, after breakfast I cleaned a little at home, did some laundry, then I decided to take a walk along the beach, before coming here for a cup of coffee and to check my mails" Charlie's smile grew a little wider thinking about the mail she had received earlier.

Ruby noticed the change in Charlie's face as she talked about getting mail. She got really curious "So Mum, any exciting mail?"

"Well, no nothing of interest" Charlie lied, and looked back out the window again, she didn't feel like telling Ruby about the story site or the tentative communication she had started with the author of her favourite story.

Ruby was really getting curious now and she decided that she wouldn't let Charlie off the hook that easily. "Come on Mum, I know there's something you're not telling me, have you started to write to someone from that dating site I put your profile up on?"

"No Rubes, it's nothing like that" Charlie quickly replied. She had found out she wasn't ready to date yet and after the one and only date, which had been a complete disaster, she had deleted her profile. But she hadn't the heart to tell Ruby. All Ruby wanted was for her to be happy and find love again.

"Well what is it then?" Ruby asked now even more curious.

"Ahhh it's nothing exciting Rubes. I just found this site were people write and post their stories and I kind of reviewed one of them and the author mailed back" Charlie quickly explained hoping that Ruby would let it go, but she knew she wouldn't. Ruby was like a dog with a bone, she just wouldn't let go once her curiosity was awoken, she just kept going until she got her answer.

"Okay what site is that? You haven't told me about it before?" Ruby asked now even more curious as to what had caught her mum's interest, because she rarely took an interest in anything on the internet.

"It's nothing Rubes okay... So what are your plans for the rest of the day?" Charlie sharply replied to Ruby's question hoping to stop her from asking any more. She didn't want to go into details about it, the site was her little escape and she wasn't ready to share it with anybody yet.

Ruby decided to let it rest for now, but she was determined to figure out what it was all about "Oh I'm just gonna hang out with Xavier and Nicole later, what about you?"

Charlie looked at her watch "well I have to get ready for work. I have the night shift tonight, so I better get going. You take care now and don't be home to late, you know it's a school night Rubes"

Ruby sighed and rolled her eyes "Yessssss Mum"

"Oiii I saw that, don't roll your eyes at me young lady" Charlie giggled as she got up to leave. She kissed her daughter on the forehead before leaving the Diner.

Charlie decided to walk home along the beach again and enjoy the beautiful weather. As she walked, she saw a very familiar figure sitting at the far end of the beach, with her legs curled up under her, resting her chin on them, looking out to sea. She stood frozen for a moment contemplating what to do, wanting to go to Joey, but knowing she should just walk away.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**

**Hi everybody. **

**Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews to this story. They all really do make me wanna continue writing on it.**

**I would like to appologise for not updating sooner, but Uni has kept me insanely busy with exams and huge papers to write, but hopefully I will get the time to write some more now.**

**I hope you'll all like this chapter... please review, as always I like to hear your oppinion on it, Im still not sure were to take it yet.**

**Enjoy !**

_Chapter 6_

Joey once again found herself at her favourite spot on the beach, sitting, hugging her knees and resting her head on them, looking out to sea, trying to calm herself and figure out her thoughts and feelings. After she had seen Charlie at the Diner all the love, longing and hurt just came rushing back to her. She had, just for a moment, let herself get lost in Charlie's big beautiful blue pools that she loved so much. In the brief moment that their eyes had locked, she had felt her heart beat faster and everything in the Diner had just faded away. She had felt the urge to just walk up to Charlie and take her in her arms and never let her go again. She had been brought out of her moment with Charlie by Colleen, and she had quickly come to her senses and remembered all the hurt that Charlie had caused her. She had rushed out of the Diner with her coffee, not looking at Charlie as she passed her on the way out, and hurried to her spot on the beach to sit and think things through. She dried away a lone tear that ran down her cheek and sighed, she was mad and frustrated at herself for just not being able to forget Charlie and move on.

As she sat there, she got this strange feeling that she was being watched. She lifted her head and turned around to see if there was someone there. She immediately saw Charlie, only a few feet away from her, turning around and walking away. Her emotions were so conflicted. She desperately wanted to go after her and pull her in for a hug, never letting go, but at the same time she was relieved that Charlie hadn't approached her. She still wasn't ready to face Charlie and deal with what that would mean. She sat watching Charlie walking away from the beach towards the boardwalk, until she couldn't see her anymore. She turned her stare towards the sea again and just let her tears fall.

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Unbeknownst to Joey, at the same time Aden had stood and watched the whole scene unfold. He sighed when he saw that Charlie had changed her mind and turned around and walked, defeated, away from Joey. He had hoped that the girls would finally be able to talk together. It was obvious that they still loved each other, but so much hurt and pain had come between them and he didn't know if Joey would ever get passed that. He hoped she would, because she was really hurting and he hated to see his best friend looking so lost. So much time had passed since Charlie's betrayal and it didn't seem to have helped Joey move on. He knew that Joey only acted the way she did towards Charlie to protect herself, but he wished that she would be able to get passed it soon and just start talking to Charlie again. He hated that two people, who were so obviously meant to be together, weren't getting along and it was even harder that they were both good friends of his. He didn't like what Charlie had done to Joey, but he had talked with her and Ruby about it and understood Charlie's confusion and difficulty in coming to terms with finding out that she was attracted to another girl. Joey, however, was like a sister to him and he would walk through fire for her. It broke his heart to see her hurting so much. He would do anything to take away her pain and see her happy again.

He sighed when he saw Joey break down and cry after watching Charlie walking away from her. He took his backpack and put it over his shoulder and started to walk down to his friend to offer his shoulder to cry on.

Sitting down next to Joey, he put his arm on her back, stroking it gently to comfort her. "Hi Jo, how are you?" he asked gently, looking out to sea, as Joey was, as if there was something very interesting to see out there.

Joey just shrugged her shoulders and continued to look out to sea "I'm fine Ade, thank you"

"Jo you're not fine, anybody can see that. Besides I saw what just happened. I saw Charlie approaching you, then stop and walk away and I saw you saw her walk away. So are you gonna tell me what happened?" Aden asked calmly, still stroking Joey's back.

"It's just the same old story Ade" Joey said, wiping her tears away with the back of her right hand, still staring at the invisible item out at sea.

"So what happened this time Jo? Did she say something to you?" Aden asked, a little worried, looking directly at Joey

Joey sighed and turned around to look at Aden "No no Ade, she didn't, but I dunno, nothing really happened. I can't explain it Ade. Something happened and it felt so intense. I'm not making any sense right now am I?"

Aden smiled "no not really Jo, so nothing happened but still something happened. Care to explain that Jo?"

Joey sighed again and looked back out to sea so Aden couldn't see the tears that were falling down her cheeks again. "Well nothing happened in the sense that Charlie and I didn't talk. I just saw her at the Diner before and we kind of had this connection again. When I left the Diner she called out my name and it was so hard for me to just keep walking, all I wanted was to go and hold her in my arms. Ade the whole thing is just so difficult."

"Joey I know this is hard for you, and I know that you still have feelings for Charlie. Why don't you just talk to her Jo?" Aden asked Joey, pulling her in for a hug to comfort his friend.

"I can't Ade. I just can't" Joey sobbed.

"Why Jo? It has to be better than this. I see all the pain you're in Jo. Perhaps if you two started talking again it would help? Perhaps you could start by trying to be friends again?" Aden said stroking Joey's back

Joey leaned her head on Aden's shoulder, still crying, she sobbed "Ade I just can't let her back in. I don't trust her not to break my heart again. She lied so many times to me. I told her everything about me and she couldn't even tell me about her and Ruby. I had to hear that from you".

"Joey you know that that wasn't easy for Charlie to tell anyone, especially when Ruby didn't know and the circumstances about how she had gotten pregnant is not really an easy thing to talk about Jo, you of all people should know that" Aden tried to defend Charlie. He remembered all the hardship and heartbreak both Ruby and Charlie had gone through when the truth had come out. Both Charlie and Ruby had broken down at the revelation that it had been Ross who had killed Grant, Ruby's father and the man who had raped Charlie when she was young, because he had come back to hassle Charlie, wanting to know his daughter. And then, to make matters even worse, Ross had taken his own life in prison because he couldn't bear to live the last days of his life amongst people he had put in there. However, it had also been a new beginning for the girls, allowing them to start to patch things up. When he saw them together now, he knew that it was good that the truth had come out, because the bond between Ruby and Charlie seemed to have become even stronger since they had realised that they were all the family they had left.

Joey looked up, a little surprised at Aden. Since she had come back, he had always supported her, not once had she heard him defend Charlie. "I know that it couldn't have been easy for her to reveal that, but that is also why she should have been able to tell me of all people Ade" Joey told Aden, feeling a little annoyed that he couldn't understand her frustration.

"I dunno Ade sometimes I just think that perhaps that was the only reason why she wanted to help me and wanted to get Robbo, cause she wasn't able to do anything about her own attacker" Joey said with anger, raising her voice.

"Jo you know that is not true, don't ever think like that. You know that Charlie really loved you, she still does, why do you think she tries so hard to talk to you and is not seeing anyone Jo? It's because she still cares for you and loves you." Aden said surprised about Joey's sudden anger outburst and frustrated at Joey's stubbornness.

"I dunno Ade, it's just all messed up and I don't trust her not to break my heart again" Joey said looking back at sea.

"Joey, isn't all this breaking your heart as well?" Aden asked gently, hoping that he could get through Joeys stubbornness and make her see that it would be a good thing to talk to Charlie again.

"Yes it is" Joey whispered.

"Which is also why I have been thinking about going away on another long haul Ade? I dunno if I can do this anymore, live in the same town as Charlie and run into her all the time" Joey said turning back to look at Aden, letting the tears run freely down her face again.


End file.
